I am working with a 5 yr old quarter horse for a friend and he does not respect my personal space at all when I am leading him, saddling, etc. His personalty is that he loves people so much that he just wants attention all the time. I am new to horses with this problem, any ideas?
Thanx

Crowding you is not a love issue but a lack of respect issue. It wasn't corrected in the past so he just continues to do it. Carry a riding crop. As you walk with him, hold the rope the length of your arm away from the halter. Fold you right arm and flap it once like a chicken. Don't look at him but keep focused on something farther away. Keep up the periodic flap. He may connect with your elbow, so what, just don't look at him and keep walking. He's a big boy and can walk his own path. Don't pull on his halter if he doesn't walk along but use your left hand and wave the crop toward his belly. He'll see it and step along. If you stop and he doesn't, hold the crop in front of his chest and give him a little tap.

You have to MAKE him respect your space, because he clearly doesn't know better because he hasn't been trained any better.

Clinton Anderson has some great ground work DVDs. I highly recommend the investment. It teaches the horse to respect your space, but it also enables the handler to move and control any part of the horse's body, without even being near that body part.

Yes this video is about trailer loading. But trailer loading has to do with ground work. Watch it, as he goes through some of his ground work exercises.

It's is best to use some sort of whip or stick, essentially to "make your arm longer".

One of the first things you want to teach your horse is to yield their hindquarters. This disengages the hindquarters to stop the horse's movement. Start by standing on your horse's left side, facing the horse. Keep ample slack in the lead rope -- you aren't "forcing" him to stand anywhere. You want to allow him to make a mistake so he can learn from it. You'll want to keep your left hand holding the lead rope up by your head, so that if the horse crowds your space, you can wave your hand at his head (or smack his head, if need be) to get him out of your space. He is not allowed in your personal bubble, unless you invite him in. To ask him to disengage his hindquarters: 1) You want to "glare" at his hindquarters with your body language. 2) If he does not move them, then point your stick at his hindquarters. 3) If he still does not move, start tapping his hip bone softly with rhythm 4) If he still does not move, very gradually start tapping him harder. 5) Do NOT stop tapping until he moves. HOwever, the very instant he ever so much as shifts his weight to his right hind leg, you immediately need to STOP pressuring him. Relax your body stance and remove the stick. Timing is very critical. If you get your timing wrong, he will learn nothing. And remember, if he gets his head into your personal space during any of this, use that left hand holding the lead rope to get him out of your bubble.

When he gets good at shifting his weight when you ask, start continuing pressure until you get one small cross-over step (the hind foot nearest you should step in front of the other hind foot). When he is consistent with one teeny step, start asking for one large step or two small ones. ETc

Make sure you work both sides evenly.

You don't need to drill him for an hour un til he gets it right. 10 to 15 minutes of ground work a day is plenty. And you'll progress plenty fast.

Another great tool to teach this horse is to back up away from you when you simply jiggle the lead rope. Start by standing in front of your horse, facing him, when plenty of slack in the lead rope. 1) You want to "glare" at his chest with your body language. 2) If he does not move, start wiggling and jiggling the lead rope 3) If he still does not move, start tapping your stick on his chest, or in between his front legs. 4) Gradually tap harder until he shifts his weight backward away from you. Immediately stop pressuring him and praise. When he gets good at that, then continue pressuring until you get one small step backward. When he gets good at that, ask for 2 steps backward. Eventually, all you'll have to do is wiggle the lead rope to get him out of your space.

These are just two of the exercises Clinton uses. It's all about being able to control the horse and teaching him that your personal space is your personal space!!

I would agree with the others, carry some sor of crop to and fom fields or just when you're leading them around, I have just been training my four year Old out of this same habit, and if you are quick and effective with responding to intrusion of you're space they will hopefully learn quickly as my girl did :) make sure you're not too harsh and use praise to reward when they learn to move quickly when asked. Good luck!

If my horse gets into my space it gets a tap with my elbow or hand or whatever, if it doesn't get out of my space the tap gets harder, if they still don't move they get a good solid whack. This has always worked with me. Some will test it longer than others, especially if they have been allowed to get away with it for a long time but eventually they learn to not be in my space and if they do the will move out of it with just a light tap.

Teaching a horse to stay out of your space can go easily with some and not so easy with others.
If I am leading a horse, I want them to walk behind me....that way if they spook they won't slam into me but go around. I had a neighbor bring a horse over one time that would just as soon run you over/bite you/body slam you than be led by you!
How I got that horse to stay behind without all the other stuff was by using a fairly long lead rope. I would swing the end of the lead rope and if he was close enough he got whapped with it....within five mins. he was walking nicely behind me rather than trying to bite my arm or body slam me.......

Teaching a horse to stay out of your space can go easily with some and not so easy with others.
If I am leading a horse, I want them to walk behind me....that way if they spook they won't slam into me but go around. I had a neighbor bring a horse over one time that would just as soon run you over/bite you/body slam you than be led by you!
How I got that horse to stay behind without all the other stuff was by using a fairly long lead rope. I would swing the end of the lead rope and if he was close enough he got whapped with it....within five mins. he was walking nicely behind me rather than trying to bite my arm or body slam me.......

Spark, a quick question. We always taught the horse to walk at our shoulder about an arm's length out. He's a young fellow and although a dressage horse, we left him with a friend/trainer to de spook him and learn his flying changes. When we got him back, he now follows behind and it creeps me out a little. If they spook wouldn't they run over top of you? Forgot to mention the trainer was a reined cow horse fellow.Posted via Mobile Device

Spark, a quick question. We always taught the horse to walk at our shoulder about an arm's length out. He's a young fellow and although a dressage horse, we left him with a friend/trainer to de spook him and learn his flying changes. When we got him back, he now follows behind and it creeps me out a little. If they spook wouldn't they run over top of you? Forgot to mention the trainer was a reined cow horse fellow.Posted via Mobile Device

You know the one and only time I got knocked down by a horse was leading my mare (when she was young 3 or 4) beside me!
With them being behind you, they know you are there, I've had them scoot around me because something spooked them from behind or a dog ran up from behind. I will also swing the end of the lead around which keeps their attention on you.....as they get better and respect your space you won't have to swing the lead around......IMO I prefer behind and most of the people I know do also....

You know the one and only time I got knocked down by a horse was leading my mare (when she was young 3 or 4) beside me!
With them being behind you, they know you are there, I've had them scoot around me because something spooked them from behind or a dog ran up from behind. I will also swing the end of the lead around which keeps their attention on you.....as they get better and respect your space you won't have to swing the lead around......IMO I prefer behind and most of the people I know do also....

Interesting. I definitely like everything else he did with the horse so maybe I'll be the one to change. His balance is amazing and he's light in the bridle and responsive to the aids. Still would have loved to have seen him dragging logs and cutting out cows. Bet he thought he was in purgatory! LOLPosted via Mobile Device

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